Today I was lucky enough to be part of a small group of innovative educators from around Australia at a focus group in Melbourne. We were reviewing the Graduate Teacher Standards of the National Professional Standards for Teachers and elaborating on these in regards to ICT integration.
These standards were developed as part of a project by Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) targeting systematic change in the ICT proficiency of graduate teachers across Australia.
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) and The Australian Council for Computers in Education (ACCE), are developing and trialling explicit ICT specific dimensions (elaboration/exemplars/performance indicators) for approximately 60 % of the descriptors in the Graduate Teacher Standards.
This is an exciting project which will shape pre-service education and hopefully bring about an exceptional standard of graduate teachers across Australia.
Despite feeling a little overwhelmed by acronyms, it was great to meet some Twitter friends face-to-face and engage in some stimulating conversation with like minded professionals.
If you are interested in reading the standards, you can view the PDF here AITSL National Professional Standards for Teachers
This is a summary of the standards which broken down into further sub-sections. It was an interesting exercise to reflect on how ICT can be embedded into all of these standards.
Thanks Kathleen, for this prompt post and response to yesterday’s session. I will try and get a post up over the weekend. It was great to be in the group with you and I loved working with @itmadesimple and @judeonline as well as Barbara.
This is such a critical topic and one that universities need to take on board. Our graduate teachers must be skilled in the use of technolgy as technology has the power to transform education and take it into powerful learning areas that we are only just glimpsing and thinking about now.
@ Anne,
It was great to work with you and the other educators yesterday. How fun to meet some Twitter friends face-to-face!
This really is such a critical area. If graduate teachers don’t get off to a good start then it is going to be hard for them to “change their ways” and embrace technology later on. Hopefully graduates coming up could inspire and support experienced teachers who aren’t embracing technology too. I agree, technology really does have the power to transform education.
Thanks for your comment,
Kathleen
Dear Kathleen,
As a mature age graduate who has had a whole other successful career with the federal gov’t (a world away from teaching) I am positive I could mount a case for all 7 standards& ICT integration.
However the ‘engage in professional learning’ is crucial. I had 16 years using Microsoft and then secured the job at Epsom PS who use Apple very successfully. With the expert help of Jenny Ashby and my ever expanding global PLN I have taught myself so much and over the last 2 years made a very confident transition to a proud Apple convert! I now own a Macbook, iPad, iPhone & iPod. I also have 6 macbooks and 6 iPods in my classroom for authentic learning. Blogging is real learning I I agree with Anne’s comment above. Uni’s could set an assessment task where students need to blog about their learning throughout their teacher training.
It takes time to become confident & you have to just get in their and ‘play’ to reinforce your own learning at ICT PD sessions or expand on classroom practice.
Just my thoughts but the project sounds great.
Gill Davey
Daveykids
Epsom PS
@ Gill,
Great to hear your thoughts! It is interesting to hear from a graduate who has worked in other industries as opposed to straight out of school (that was me!).
I agree about the “engage in professional learning” standard. Our table loved exploring that topic. These days it is all about getting online, playing and finding things out for yourself. Not to say there isn’t a role for schools to play in offering professional learning but I like to say to teachers if you just rely on that you won’t get very far! Professional learning isn’t something that is “done to you” it is something you initiate and engage in.
Congratulations on becoming a Mac person! I admire you because as a PC user, I know the change would require a lot off effort and commitment!
Thanks very much for your interesting reflections,
Kathleen
Kathleen
As an ICT educator I have been exploring these 7 standards and how they relate to ICT integration. Do you plan to provide a summary of your findings, discussions or thoughts?
Gary
@ Gary,
Thanks for your comment. I’m hoping we might receive a summary of the comments we submitted on the day when they have been put together. If not, I might post about my own reflections in the future. Good idea!
Kathleen
I’m currently doing a pre-service teacher education across the Tasman via an online distance programme.
What I love about Education 2.0 is that I am already visiting and observing classrooms without even beginning the first teacher experience. My scope for developing professional practice has gone from just two schools I happen to be placed at to literally a world of classrooms and teachers.
One thing that I think is critical part of ICT is that isn’t just about mastering the technology but using it to develop relationships and reflect on their own work. I think perhaps something missing from your statement would be that graduating teachers need to develop judgement, but perhaps that fits under a safe learning space?
@ Teacher Trainee,
Thanks for your comment.
That’s terrific that you’re becoming part of the education community via the web. Is this part of your course or have you initiated this yourself?
You’re right, graduating teachers do need to develop judgment. I think this is part of engaging in professional learning. It’s not just taking everything your see but reflecting on how it will work for your students and adapting as necessary.
It’s a very interesting issue!
Kathleen
I’ve been blogging since 2004 so it seemed natural to come to join this sphere to help with my studies. There are couple of North American universities that have students publicly blogging as part of their courses however to my knowledge none of them are based in Australia/Nz.
@ Teacher Trainee,
I know Dr Strange from the US has a wonderful course that encourages students to explore blogs and web 2.0 tools. I haven’t seen anything similar in Australia/NZ either but I hope that changes soon!
Kathleen
I attend ACU in Sydney and I am currently completing a course that includes an assessment requiring me to create a blog about my school visits (prac). It is the best assessment I have ever received and I am aiming to continue blogging after the assessment is handed in!
@ Ashley,
I think that is just fantastic. It is such a shame other unis aren’t following your lead! Unfortunately, I think a lot of lecturers wouldn’t know where to start if they wanted to introduce their students to social media (much like classroom teachers and their students) *sigh*.
Thanks for your comment!
Kathleen
[…] when we know ICT has moved a long way from word processing. Perhaps New Zealand needs to follow Australia’s lead and develop ICT standards for graduating […]